In the eyes of
by ceebs
Summary: SLASH. In which the servants have eyes that can see more clearly than anyone else in Camelot...
1. Breakfast

**Title**: In the eyes of…

**Author**: boblicy

**Summary**: In which the servants have eyes that can see what was happening more clearly than anyone else in Camelot.

**Disclaimer**: Usual no owning original Merlin tv show plot stuff goes here

**AN:** Several POV shifts will be going on throughout the story.

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**Chapter 1**

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No one notices them. No one notices the servants of Camelot who scurried to and fro day to day, maintaining the upkeep of the grand castle that King Uther and his son and countless other nobles lived in. But because no one notices them, no one realizes that they too have eyes and ears that see and hear far beyond what others usually missed.

- -o- -

"MERLIN!"

Was the call that started off Merlin's day as he ran from Gauis's room to the kitchen, to grab Arthur's breakfast from the irate cook, past the long hallways and winding stairways, all to take the already extremely late breakfast to his royal Pratness Prince Arthur. After turning in at ungodly hours last night after mucking up the stables, shining Arthur's armor (how does he get them so dirty in one day!), mending and stitching up ripped royal shirts and trousers, all on top of getting in a couple hours of spellwork studying, could anyone blame him for waking up a little late? But being the big-headed git that Arthur was, it would be beyond him to find compassion to the hard work that Merlin had to do everyday.

"I'm here _sire_, with your breakfast and everything" Merlin exclaimed as he rushed in through the Arthur's doors and proceeded to set breakfast out on the table and light the fireplace.

"_Give it to Merlin to make "sire" sound like a grave insult that probably includes the word prat somewhere in its definition." _thought Arthur as he impatiently sat at the table waiting to be served.

"Finally! One would think you were sent by the enemy in efforts to slowly starve me to death! But I know that the only reason why this ridiculous notion cannot possibly be true is that no enemy of mine is idiotic enough to trust sending someone as incompetent as you to do the job."

"_If I were so incompetent, then who was the powerful sorcerer who have saved you from all the threats that have plagued Camelot all these years?" _was something Merlin dearly wished he could snap back at Arthur, if it did not also mean that his head would be immediately intimately acquainted with the chopping block. So instead, being the extremely clever and witty manservant he was, Merlin pointed out something else, something that if spouted from the mouth of any other servant, would have had their heads rolling before the statement reached its completion.

"Well then your royal pratness, now that you have your very late breakfast that I purposely halved the portions of, I'm off to meet with your enemies, my real bosses, to happily report that I'm successfully starving you. I'll see you after the meeting with your father! Bye!" Merlin yelled as he back out the doors he just came in and down the halls before Arthur could react by throwing something probably heavy at him.

- -o- -

"_There he goes again, jesting with his royal Highness as if they were childhood playmates"_ The servants would whisper in the mornings.

Every morning Merlin would be late to bring Arthur breakfast, and every morning they would argue about something inane, and every morning Merlin would quickly run away to avoid Arthur's wrath. Every once in a while a new servant would come along and gasp at the audacity the Prince's manservant had.

"_He was insulting the Prince!"_ The new servants would exclaim. _"How is he allowed to get away with these treasonous acts? Is he not afraid of being executed?"_

After hearing these questions the older servants, who have had years of experience watching Prince Arthur's and Merlin's daily interactions, would just turn to each other, then turn to the new ones and with a secretive smile they would reply, _"Carefully watch them today, and if you still do not understand by tomorrow, then we will tell you."_

- -o- -

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tbc.


	2. Training

**Title**: In the eyes of…

**Author**: boblicy

**Summary**: In which the servants have eyes that can see more clearly than anyone else in Camelot.

**Disclaimer**: Usual no owning original Merlin tv show plot stuff goes here

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**Chapter 2**

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After a very tiresome meeting with his father, Arthur walked back to his rooms to prepare for a long day of training with his knights. As he walked into the room he noticed Merlin in the room straightening his sheets.

"So I see you came back from your treasonous meeting with my enemies. Were they happy about the reports of your incompetence?"

"On the contrary _your highness_, they were very pleased about my competence in starving you. Told me to keep up the good work and all."

"Keep up the good wo—, I'll show you good work. Now if you are done with making my bed and tidying my room, which should have been completed hours ago, you will find my best pair of boots, shine them, and then find and air out my ceremonial outfit for later tonight. I have been required to look my best tonight, some nobles are visiting and Father wants me to make myself appear 'princely'. I think he's trying to match me up with some noble's daughter again. Nonetheless Merlin, I will not appear wearing clothes smelling like mold and boots covered in thick layers of dust. So I'm going to ask for a miracle, but try not to be your clumsy self and botch this simple task up."

"Yes Arthur. Shine boots, air clothes. Gotcha."

"Don't think that's all you would be doing today Merlin. After you lay out my clothes meet me out in the training fields. I think we've been slacking on your sword training. Can't have the prince's manservant be completely inept with the sword now can we?"

"Uhh, I think Gaius needs me to deliver some tonics this afternoon. So nope, can't meet you out on the training fields sire!"

"I think Gauis can go without you for a day. I'll send a servant his way in a bit if he needs help delivering tonics."

"No way. Nope. Gauis needs me. And the last time we had sword training I couldn't get the ringing out of my ears for a week! I think I still have the bruises from my back to show for that _training exercise_ as well!"

"Don't exaggerate Merlin. And I wasn't asking you, this is an official order. Training fields afterwards immediately."

"Yes _sire._ I'll be there to meet my demise later." grumbled Merlin. Then under his breath he muttered, "Still a prat I see, it's not like it's you who willl be black and blue all over later."

"I'm still in the room Merlin, and since you're so eager to come to practice, I'll make sure we'll train extra long later."

With a satisfied smirk on his face, Arthur swept out of the room with a flourish and left a very much miserable looking Merlin to carry out his "official orders" for the day.

-…..

"_Look look! The prince is punishing his manservant for his insolence this morning!" _ the new servants eagerly shouted out calling over the older servants to the windows that overlooked the training grounds. They laughed as they watched Prince Arthur skillfully corner his wayward servant to the edge of the grounds with his sword. The knights seemed to be taking a break from their own training exercises and was lounging at the borders of the grounds and seemed to be watching the Prince put his manservant in his place with much amusement.

"_Watch carefully, it is not punishment that Prince Arthur is putting his manservant through,"_ was what the older servants would gently reply as they glanced out the windows.

"_Not punishment? Well, what else can it be? Surely you cannot be suggesting that they're playing a game or something? That sword seems quite real to me."_

But the new servants listened and continued to observe the scene going on down below.

-…..

"Merlin, you cannot learn how to fight if all you do is hold a shield and run from my sword!" yelled Arthur as he tried to get Merlin to pick up the sword and properly defend himself.

"HAH! I know you won't attack an unarmed person, so of course I won't pick up that sword!" _And besides, who needs swords when with just a wave of my hand I can knock your enemies back several hundred feet?_

"That's not the point of this exercise! I command you to pick up that sword and defend yourself right now Merlin!"

"Go ahead Merlin! Pick up that sword and show Prince Arthur your fighting skills!" cajoled the knights. As hilarious as it was to see Merlin trying to run from Arthur's sword with only a shield to defend himself with, they knew from past experiences that it'd be far more entertaining to see Merlin trying to defend himself with a sword.

'_Go ahead Merlin,' they say. Like it's that easy to swing around a sword and hold a shield while running from Arthur's heavy blows. _Still, wanting to get this practice session over as quick as possible, Merlin finally picked up the sword and tried hard to not to mentally wave goodbye to his short life.

"That's the spirit Merlin!"

Arthur just grinned as he heard the cheers his knights gave Merlin, meanwhile gleefully preparing to put Merlin through the practice a lifetime.

-…..

"_The manservant just picked up a sword to fight with the Prince!" _gasped the new servants yet again. _"How is he not being dragged away by the guards yet? Why are Prince Arthur's knights not jumping to their prince's defense?"_

"_Prince Arthur is teaching his manservant how to properly fight with a sword,"_ the older servants finally explained.

"_Teaching? A Prince lowering himself to teach a servant? Does the prince do this with every servant?" _

"_Just Merlin. His royal Highness has declared that in order for Merlin to be of any use in any sort of battling situations, he must pick up some sword fighting skills." _

"_But he is just a servant? Why would he ever be in any sort of battling situations?"_

At this, the older servants meaningfully glanced at each other and then responded to the newer servants, _"Anywhere Prince Arthur goes, his manservant Merlin is there. We have seen countless bad men try to attack Camelot, but not once has Merlin deserted Prince Arthur's side to run from the attackers."_

But as the new servants went _"Ahhh…" _and slowly nod their heads thinking they comprehended the Prince's and his manservant's relationship, the older servants once again silently smiled as they looked out at the training grounds. _Little did the new servants know that Arthur did not wish for Merlin to fight beside him like a warrior in battle, but he wished for Merlin to learn enough fighting skills that to be able to hold off the enemy for long enough for Arthur to arrive at Merlin's side. _

-…..

tbc.


End file.
